At the moment, we are spoiled with the releases of melodic had-rock albums and after the Swedish debut album of 'Arctic Rain' and the magnificent album of 'Tony Mitchell', it's the turn of a new Swedish band 'Dreams of Avalon' (and yes, another one), created by multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer 'Joakim Nordlund' (who was behind the formation 'Astral Doors' whose last album 'Worship or Die' dates of 2019), to point the tip of his nose with a first album 'Beyond the Dream'. Big lovers of melodic hard rock from the 80s, Joachim has concocted 11 melodic jewels that are immediately tamed.
We are therefore embarked on what melodic hard-rock has produced of the best, and this from the first track 'Young Wild Hearts' which offers us a memorable first chorus, then the compositions parade one after the other with the same melodic efficiency in the movement of groups like 'Survivor' or 'Journey' and are shared between energetic rock with for example 'Shining Light' or 'Into The Night' or even 'To Paris and Back' and AOR with for example the magnificent 'Under the Gun' or 'Bleed for Me' or even 'Somewhere Tonight', my only regret is to not having added one or two ballads which would have bring some diversity to the whole.
In summary, even if they will not revolutionize the genre, it is still a very good album that 'Dreams of Avalon' offers us and 'Beyond The Dream' is to be consumed without moderation and should please everyone a fan of classic 80s melodic hard-rock... | |
